2021-03-17 03:25
It's been two full weeks since Janet and I received our second dose of the vaccine. In theory, we should have acquired immunity to the virus by now. Do we really have immunity? I don't think… Read More
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Some Assembly Required Blog
john-sealander.blogspot.com
Tags:
walk
washing machine
raking leaves
message
continue
laundromat
janet
walking slow
repair technician
grass
Take a day-by-day journey with writer/photographer John Sealander as he attempts to assemble something coherent out of the confusion around him.
2021-03-16 02:32
What a weird day. We were getting ready to go visit the rescue Dalmatians when Janet discovered that she had a flat tire. Neither of us could remember how to change a tire, so we called AAA… Read More
2021-03-15 03:07
I thought I'd slept in longer than usual this morning and then I realized that the time had changed. Why do we do this every year. I don't care if we go with standard time or daylight saving… Read More
2021-03-14 03:56
I think Dallas has decided that the pandemic is over. Every week the roads and stores become more and more crowded. People are definitely eating out and restaurants seem to be operating at f… Read More
2021-03-13 03:28
The washing machine is working again. The repair technician arrived right on time with a brown box containing the expensive new circuit board. The board must have been located in an inaccess… Read More
2021-03-12 03:26
I made reservations to go out to McDonald Observatory in May. It's a long drive but it will be worth it when I get there. Ostensibly this trip is to learn more about astrophotography, but th… Read More
2021-03-11 03:27
The washing machine is still not working. The technician says that the motor is not communicating with the motor controller logic board. I asked if there might just be a lose wire. Nope. I n… Read More
2021-03-10 04:11
It was not an auspicious day. Right after breakfast I did a load of laundry and halfway through the wash cycle the washing machine broke. The drum was full of soapy water and just quit turni… Read More
2021-03-09 03:53
I took my tax files over to the accountant today. It's weird walking around in a large office building these days. This building seemed empty as a tomb. A lot of people must still be working… Read More
2021-03-08 04:03
I'm still fighting these allergies. The Flonase works pretty well at clearing my nasal passages, but I've still got the runny nose. I did sleep better last night because I didn't wake up sev… Read More
2021-03-07 03:47
Was today some sort of a holiday? I couldn't believe all the traffic on the roads this morning. The stores were crowded. There was even a line at the gas station. I still can't figure out wh… Read More
2021-03-06 05:05
I didn't accomplish much today. I'm still fighting my allergies and blowing my nose constantly. I finished getting my tax materials organized, but wasn't organized enough myself to get them… Read More
2021-03-05 04:24
Dawn got a bath today. The fact that this was the big event of the day will tell you how exciting today was. None of our dogs have enjoyed getting a bath, but they put up with it. We abandon… Read More
2021-03-04 03:22
I'm still battling seasonal allergies. I went to the pharmacy this morning for a different kind of allergy medicine. I'd been taking Allegra, but a friend told me that I really needed Allegr… Read More
2021-03-03 03:35
I'm done. Janet and I got our second Covid vaccinations today. We got the Pfizer vaccine, which is the one I wanted anyway. In fourteen days we should have immunity to the disease and can re… Read More
2021-03-02 03:56
Charlie and Cooper were really playful today. They had a lot more energy than we did and could have played all afternoon. Charlie is nimble and can easily catch things in midair. Cooper is k… Read More
2021-03-01 03:52
My allergies are driving me crazy this year. Every Spring my seasonal allergies seem to get worse and there doesn't seem to be much I can do. Antihistamines seem to be what most people recom… Read More
2021-02-28 04:33
I woke up early this morning, which meant I got even less sleep than usual. It was damp and foggy outside and I was convinced that it would start raining any minute. As soon as we finished b… Read More
2021-02-27 03:49
I got a haircut today. Haircuts have been few and far between since Covid arrived on the scene, but eventually you look in the mirror and realize it's time. I never really thought that getti… Read More
2021-02-26 03:04
I managed to get most of the leaves bagged and out of the yard before it started raining. This was quite an accomplishment, since there were a lot of leaves. I'm starting to understand why t… Read More
2021-02-25 03:38
I had a rare Zoom meeting today. I still don't understand people's fascination with Zoom. In most cases, a simple phone call would suffice. I've participated in a multitude of conference cal… Read More
2021-02-24 03:43
I tried to get organized today. I applied for press credentials to attend the Boeing Starliner launch in April. I made an appointment to get a haircut. I wrote the Air Force, asking how to r… Read More
2021-02-23 03:45
Clyde got adopted this week, so only Cooper and Charlie remain at the kennel. We weren't able to visit the dogs last week because of the snow and ice, but they survived the cold pretty well… Read More
2021-02-22 03:39
I hate getting old. It was a lot warmer today, so I thought I'd inflate my tires and get rid of the annoying warning light on my dash. I struggled to get the heavy air compressor out of the… Read More
2021-02-21 03:56
Things got done today. We had a hearty breakfast and then I chopped the ice out of the driveway so we could get the cars out. I was expecting empty grocery stores from what I'd been hearing… Read More
2021-02-20 03:14
It's still cold, but the snow is melting rapidly. ERCOT says that operations have returned to normal and that the crisis is over. Plumbers, on the other hand, say the worst is yet to come. I… Read More
2021-02-19 03:54
Somehow they can flawlessly land a rover on Mars, but they can't keep the lights on in Texas. I watched the Perseverance landing today and I'll have to admit that I was impressed. After trav… Read More
2021-02-18 02:15
The storm of the century continues. It was a little warmer today, but still well below freezing. We got more snow overnight and nothing is melting. I think just about everyone has had enough… Read More
2021-02-17 03:29
Another ridiculously cold day. It's weird to be in the middle of a story that's become national news. Predictibly, everyone seems to be looking for someone to blame for this mess. Are frozen… Read More
2021-02-16 03:13
It's pretty darn cold down here. It's ten degrees right now and the temperature has been in the single digits for most of the day. Amazingly, we still have power. There have been rolling pow… Read More
2021-02-15 04:31
Brr. It's 12 degrees now and the temperature is falling. The roads were coated with ice this morning with a light dusting of snow on top. The snowfall was never heavy during the day but it i… Read More
2021-02-14 04:34
So far, so good. The car started easily this morning. The roads are still dry and I managed to get all my shopping done. The house is toasty warm and there is plenty of food for the rest of… Read More
2021-02-13 05:05
The weather keeps getting colder. I had trouble starting my car for the first time in ages. I need to remember to start it every day now until the weather gets warmer. I had a couple of erra… Read More
2021-02-12 02:56
What a nasty day. There was black ice on the roads that caused a 100 car pile up in Fort Worth and the temperature never got above freezing all day. Janet postponed going to the gym this mor… Read More
2021-02-11 03:17
Today was all about the weather. I woke up cold and never really got warm. It looked and felt like it could snow at any time, but I think that comes later. One forecast I heard today said th… Read More
2021-02-10 03:18
Janet and I got our first Covid shots today. After waiting a year, the whole experience was kind of anticlimactic. I was in and out in less than twenty minutes and that included the fifteen… Read More
2021-02-09 03:50
We spent some extra time with Clyde at the kennel today. He's still very shy but he is making progress. Since he has already bonded with one of the kennel attendants, I think he's going to b… Read More
2021-02-08 05:21
I expected Tampa Bay to win tonight, but I didn't expect the game to be a complete rout. Kansas City was completely humiliated. It just goes to show that you should never count the old guys… Read More
2021-02-07 03:00
Not a lot happened today. We had oarmeal and fruit for breakfast like we always do on Saturday. I went to the grocery store and got all the things I usually get. I don't know why I make a li… Read More
2021-02-06 04:14
I was busy with correspondence today. I wrote the dehumidifier company and tried to explain why the warranty replacement unit they sent was still not working properly. I wrote both of my edi… Read More
2021-02-05 03:02
I backed a Kickstarter project today. Either I'm getting very bored, or my tolerance for risk is improving. I backed another Kickstarter project a long time ago and if memory serves, the pro… Read More
2021-02-04 03:18
I went to see the foot doctor again today. The visit was largely unnecessary since the guy is a surgeon and we've already decided that I wasn't a candidate for surgery. The doctor did approv… Read More
2021-02-03 03:27
I went to the bank and paid some bills today, but that was the only deviation from my eat, walk, sleep schedule. If I wanted to punish myself I guess I could go stand in line at one of the d… Read More
2021-02-02 03:14
We brought Charlie a new octopus toy today. It took him about two seconds to abandon all his other toys and focus his attention on removing the squeaker from this one. Most dogs like to play… Read More
2021-02-01 04:55
Today was quiet and uneventful. We had a leisurely breakfast before taking Dawn on her morning walk. Walks are not a problem now. Dawn really seems to enjoy things now that she's getting her… Read More
2021-01-31 04:13
It was hard to tell if today was a busy day or not. I did my grocery shopping, filled the car with gas, walked Dawn with Janet, walked six more miles by myself, and picked up some Chinese fo… Read More
2021-01-30 04:32
I made another effort to declutter the office today. I gathered up a bunch of stuff to take to the storage warehouse and at the last minute decided to throw half of the pile away. Was this a… Read More
2021-01-29 03:29
Last year at this time I had plans. I was getting ready to go to Florida for the ESA Solar Orbiter launch while simultaneously planning to spend several weeks out at McDonald Observatory. I… Read More
2021-01-28 03:41
I used to own GameStop. I can't even remember how I acquired this stock, but I always thought it was a total dog and eventually sold it at a loss. Jeez. Who buys video games at a store anymo… Read More
2021-01-27 03:23
I haven't taken any pictures yet, but I did get the new lens. There was actually some method to my madness. A 24-200 zoom is perfect for travel and will allow me to get the shots I need with… Read More
2021-01-26 03:48
These weeks go quickly. It's Dalmatian day at the kennel again. Cooper was much more relaxed this week. He has started playing with toys and we discovered that he already knows several comma… Read More
2021-01-25 03:42
I'm getting tired of all this rain. I keep forgetting that this happens every year, but the gloomy days are still irritating. It will be a while before we can rake the leaves. The yard is a… Read More
2021-01-24 03:40
Today was busier than usual. I can't say that I accomplished a lot though. When I woke up, Janet had gone running and Dawn was nervously peering around the corner of the bedroom door at me… Read More
2021-01-23 03:22
Another gray, dismal day. At least it wasn't raining. It's hard to get motivated on days like this. I impatiently channel surf while I'm eating breakfast, never finding anything worth watchi… Read More
2021-01-22 04:11
Another rainy day. Even Dawn got bored today. By the time the rain finally stopped around 4 PM, she was eager for a walk. Cabin fever didn't make her walk any longer, but she enjoyed all the… Read More
2021-01-21 03:58
It's dental week at our house. Yesterday, Dawn got her teeth cleaned and today I did the same. My proceedure was a lot simpler than Dawn's. There was no anesthesia involved and I was in and… Read More
2021-01-20 02:06
Dawn has clean, white teeth again. She had quite a bit of tartar build-up and really needed a cleaning. Dawn of course had other ideas. She always goes into panic mode when we take her to th… Read More
2021-01-19 02:56
We got a new supposedly indestructible toy for Charlie today. In less than five minutes he had broken the squeaker and was shaking the thing so vigorously that I thought he would knock himse… Read More
2021-01-18 04:27
I signed up for the vaccine on a few websites today. I thought this whole vaccination effort would be more organized, but this is apparently how you do it. All the pharmacies, hospitals, and… Read More
2021-01-17 04:03
Today seemed busier than usual, even though very little actually happened. I got my grocery shopping done right after breakfast. I found everything on my list and was in and out of the store… Read More
2021-01-16 03:48
I went along on Dawn's walk today. She seemed confident and happy. She trusts Janet and she seems to know that she doesn't have to walk too far anymore. We took turns holding the leash and i… Read More
2021-01-15 04:23
Whenever I tackle a project that I've been avoiding for a long time, I usually realize why I kept putting things off. Today I cleaned the deterrgent dispenser in the washing machine. This is… Read More
2021-01-14 03:31
Janet walked Dawn by herself again today. She said that Dawn was more enthusiastic this time and didn't freeze at all. They still only walked about a mile, but I guess this is progress. We'l… Read More
2021-01-13 03:43
I tried to catch up on some correspondence today. I doubt that I accomplished much, but at least I tried. I wrote my editor at SpaceFlight Magazine and told him that I won't be attending any… Read More
2021-01-12 03:55
We went and photographed Cooper, the newest Dalmatian in the rescue program, this afternoon. Cooper is a handsome dog, but was a little nervous around us, so the kennel attendants kept him o… Read More
2021-01-11 05:13
Snow day. It didn't snow for long and the snow didn't stick. There were a few large flakes though. It's been a while. We learned pretty quickly that Dawn doesn't like snow. There were lots o… Read More
2021-01-10 04:37
Another uneventful Saturday. I had a hard time finding fruit at the grocery store this morning. I don't think that people are panic buying strawberries. I just hit the store at the wrong tim… Read More
2021-01-09 04:35
Dawn seems to be responding well to rest and Rimadyl. She isn't limping anymore and isn't having the problems getting up and down that she was a few days ago. We took her in a field behind t… Read More
2021-01-08 03:59
We had a scare today. Dawn was limping and was having a lot of trouble lying down on the bed. She kept circling and circling but wouldn't put weight on her right rear leg. When I tried to ge… Read More
2021-01-07 03:28
Today was dismal. It was supposed to rain all day, but for the most part it was just dark and overcast. When we tried to walk Dawn, she wanted to turn around before we even finished our firs… Read More
2021-01-06 03:21
I don't think anyone is going back to work after the holidays. Things are usually quiet on a Tuesday, but the roads were crowded, the stores seemed full, and the park looked like it was Sund… Read More
2021-01-05 03:14
Good grief. My watch dialed 911 in my sleep last night. That was a surprise. I woke up to this voice saying "This is Dallas 911, can we help you." What? It took me a moment to realize what w… Read More
2021-01-04 03:16
Dawn only walked a mile today. Janet walked all the way around the lake. I kind of split the difference and Dawn walked about eight miles. I don't know why Dawn didn't want to walk further… Read More
2021-01-03 03:07
They had Clorox wipes at the grocery store this morning. I guess that's a good sign. The clouds cleared and there were blue skies this afternoon. That was an even better sign. We're still wa… Read More
2021-01-02 04:33
It didn't really feel like a holiday. I've completely lost track of the days. All the familiar reference points seems to have disappeared. There was no Friday morning trash pickup today. The… Read More
2021-01-01 03:38
Today was a fitting end to 2020. The weather was absolutely miserable. There was a heavy all day rain and the temparature was in the mid thirties. It felt even colder with a wind chill in th… Read More
2020-12-31 03:54
It was cold and wet today. Dawn was smart. She quickly went outside and did her business after we woke up and then didn't want to leave the house for the rest of the day. I foolishly thought… Read More
2020-12-30 03:26
I tried my best to be productive today. I started by defrosting the little refrigerator. This doesn't sound like much, but it's kind of a pain. I need to wait until the big refrigerator is e… Read More
2020-12-29 02:46
We found a couple of ticks on Dawn while she was sitting on the bed this morning. Since the last thing you want is ticks in your bed, we washed all the bedding. It takes quite a few loads to… Read More
2020-12-28 03:58
Houston, we have a problem. We found a new route for Dawn this morning and after several miles we found ourselves on the other side of the lake. Dawn was doing great. She was walking without… Read More
2020-12-27 03:57
I thought I'd go grocery shopping early this morning to let the weather warm up before our second attempt to take Dawn on a normal walk. The store was only open to Plus Card members between… Read More
2020-12-26 03:23
It turns out it wasn't Dawn, it was us. We tried an experiment this morning. Instead of having Dawn follow us on a walk, we followed her. She led us over the hills and through the woods on a… Read More
2020-12-25 04:09
Dawn is still acting weird. We didn't even try to walk early this morning because it was so cold. Later in the day, Dawn seemed eager to go outside. We walked normally for a while. She smell… Read More
2020-12-24 03:20
Dawn is still acting weird on her morning walks. She always appears eager to leave the house. We'll walk a little ways and she'll do her business. We'll continue walking and then for no reas… Read More
2020-12-23 03:30
Dawn is still very unpredictable on her walks. She seemed very eager to leave the house this morning. After she pooped, she froze and refused to move for a while. I thought she was done, but… Read More
2020-12-22 04:21
Dawn refused to walk this morning. Did something hurt? Was she too cold? Or was she just being stubborn? Your guess is as good as mine. I suspect that she was just being stubborn and wanted… Read More
2020-12-21 04:48
I promised Janet that I'd throw away at least five things if she'd help me sort through stuff at the storage warehouse. We ended up removing a whole carload of useless stuff. The sad thing w… Read More
2020-12-20 03:49
My new shoes are a success. I wore them for the first time on our morning walk with Dawn and experienced considerably less foot pain. There are still a few aches and pains, but what a differ… Read More
2020-12-19 03:38
Dawn seems to be feeling better. We had a nice walk this morning and Dawn showed no signs of discomfort. We thought it would encourage her to walk if we let her choose the way. Luckily it wa… Read More
2020-12-18 02:38
My swallow test was inconclusive. I thought this might happen. I ate or drank a variety of substances, all mixed with barium so they would show up on the x-ray video. It doesn't appear that… Read More
2020-12-17 03:54
I think I finally know what is wrong with my foot. The cartilage between the metatarsal and cuneiform bones in the middle of my left foot has worn away, allowing bone to bone contact. This i… Read More
2020-12-16 04:06
Dawn did very well at the vet today. There was a lot of shivering and shaking while we were waiting in the lobby, but when the vet took her back to the exam room, she told us that Dawn almos… Read More
2020-12-15 03:37
With temperatures hovering around 32 degrees when we woke up this morning, we decided that it was too cold for an early walk. I ate my breakfast and waited for the sun to warm things up. It… Read More
2020-12-14 03:52
Today was dismal. I woke up to the sounds of thunder and rain pounding on the roof. The temperature was only 39 degrees. Clearly we weren't going on a walk with Dawn this morning. This wasn'… Read More
2020-12-13 04:26
It's weird how quickly the weather changes around here. The sky was completely clear when we started our walk this morning, but became overcast by the time we returned home. I thought it wou… Read More
2020-12-12 04:11
The rain arrived later than expected this morning, so we had time to walk Dawn after all. Our timing was pretty good because we were able to complete four miles and were almost home again be… Read More
2020-12-11 04:51
It was a slow day. The big event today was gving Dawn a bath. I didn't really think Dawn was dirty, but Janet likes a clean dog. We took her to the self bathe place in my car this time to se… Read More
2020-12-10 03:31
Most of our dog's birthdays have been celebrated on the day we adopted them. It is rare to know a rescue dog's actual age. We know that Dawn is eight years old today because she was used as… Read More
2020-12-09 03:03
Today was full of pleasant little surprises. The weather was much warmer. I was even able to wear shorts on my afternoon walk. My warranty replacement dehumidifier is already on its way. The… Read More
2020-12-08 03:46
We went back to the kennel today to visit Charlie. Even though we were at the same boarding facility most of the day yesterday for our Santa Paws event, we were far too busy to visit Charlie… Read More
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